2017 Hyundai Ioniq EV hybrid

The brand new electric model by Hyundai is a first in car manufacturing. The car is available as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or with an all-electric drivetrain. Even the most popular of eco-friendly vehicles, the Toyota Prius, only offers the hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. Now Hyundai goes as far as offering three engine options. This makes the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq the first ever production car to do so. Is this wider range of engine choices enough to lure some of the Prius drivers towards the new Ioniq? Or is it the friendlier price that needs to do the trick? Let’s find out in this review of the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq.

Exterior design

First of all, the end-product of the Ioniq is actually more similar to the Toyota Prius than to the Ioniq concept car. Of course, the concept car was quite aggressive and probably not so buyer-friendly. That’s why Hyundai decided to tone it down a little for the production vehicle and ended up with a decent but stylish car. The best global description of this vehicle is that it’s a combination of Hyundai’s recent styling cues and the useful design of the eco-friendly hybrid, the 2017 Prius Prime by Toyota.

It is quite difficult to design a car that is capable of housing three different drivetrains, without ending up with something large and bulky. In that case the Toyota Prius is a good example of how to achieve a balanced vehicle.

The rear, shape and size of the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq are the parts that are most reminiscent of the Prius. The nose and windshield differ the most from the Prius, since they’re longer, more conventional and don’t dip and dive like the Prius’.

The side and mostly the doors are also more traditional than the Prius’. Those doors follow a diagonal line upwards, whereas the doors on the Ioniq follow a straighter line. The rear is very similar to that of the Prius, with a big overhang. However, the Ioniq rear does look more sporty.

The all-electric Ioniq is recognizable by its grille. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid have a regular Hyundai grille with dark horizontal lines. The EV lacks this grille completely and only sports the Hyundai logo.

There are eight available exterior colours for the Ioniq hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV. The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq EV is the only one that has Blazing Yellow as an option, but misses out on two metallic colours.

Interior design

The Ioniq’s interior looks terrific. The center stack, gear shifter and instrument cluster look very modern and are complemented by a light blue hue and detailing. The EV gets copper-coloured detailing instead of blue, to distinguish it from the hybrid versions. The overall cabin is inspired by the interior and tech specs of the 2017 Hyundai Elantra.

The infotainment screen is a five, seven or eight inch touch screen and comes with a wireless inductive charging pad.

The digital instrument cluster is a high resolution TFT-screen and shows several customizable gauges and the speedometer. There’s also information about the fuel consumption, battery percentage and charging percentage.

Other noteworthy features are the efficient dual-zone climate control. It can be switched to driver-only mode, thus saving energy. It makes better use of the air inside the car when air conditioning and has Efficient Mode to save energy.

The interior and seats will be a black cloth, there are unfortunately no further options. The EV and the second and third trim of the hybrids get an Infinity Sound System with seven loudspeakers and a subwoofer.

Engine specs

Hybrid and Plug-in hybrid
The hybrid versions will both come with a 1.6 liter Kappa Gdi direct injection gasoline engine. It can make 104 horsepower and the additional electric motor can make 43 horsepower. According to Hyundai the total HP output of the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid is 139 horsepower.

The PHEV Ioniq will get the same gas engine, but a bigger electric motor with a more powerful battery. The electric motor makes 60 hp.

Both the hybrid and the PHEV come with a six speed dual-clutch transmission and front wheel drive.

It’s possible for both of the hybrids to drive solely on the electric motor up to speeds of 75 mph (120 kph).

Tech specs

The infotainment screen is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The hybrid comes with some manually applicable driving modes, such as Eco and Sport. Also present in the car is Bluetooth Phone Connectivity and Advanced Cruise Control.

Price and sale date

The Ioniq hybrid and PHEV are available for ordering in Europe. Prices start at €23,900 for the hybrid and €33,300 for the EV. The starting price of the Plug-in hybrid is not out yet, since this version is expected to arrive at dealerships in the summer of 2017.

US prices for the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq are not available yet. Since US prices always lie around the German price of the same car, we expect them to be somewhat similar. The hybrid and EV will arrive this fall. The PHEV will arrive next summer, just like in Europe.

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I've started to write for Cars2018.com in January 2016. I've been a car fan since my younger years. Grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to the west coast after my graduation. My weak spot is electric vehicles and upcoming green alternatives like hydrogen vehicles. My favorite classic cars are the 1967 Shelby GT500 and the 1983 Chevrolet El Camino. Any questions or suggestions, contact me: gabriel@cars2018.comPlease support our website by sharing our articles below, thanks in advance!